Best Steak Marinade
This Steak Marinade is an easy way to add flavor and tenderize your favorite cuts of steak. It’s quick to make with just a few simple ingredients!
These Steak Kabobs were such a hit with my family, I knew I had to share my steak marinade recipe as well. This recipe is a scaled up version of the marinade that I use in my kabob recipe, and it is the best! You will also love my delicious Chicken Kabobs and Chicken Marinade.
Marinating steak is a simple step that can take your meal to the next level in terms of flavor. Marinating your meat also allows you to get some dinner prep work done ahead of time, which is always nice on a summer day when you want to be outside in the evening.
I usually use this steak marinade to season steak before cooking it on the grill, but you can also cook your steak in a skillet or in the oven. Our favorite side dishes for steak include Roasted Potatoes, Mashed Potatoes, Roasted Asparagus, Instant Pot Sweet Potatoes and Green Salad.
How to Make the Best Steak Marinade
You’ll need just five ingredients, plus salt and pepper, for this marinade recipe. I usually mix the ingredients together in a zip-top bag, but you can also marinate steak in a wide shallow dish or bowl.
Steak Marinade Ingredients
- Soy Sauce: The soy sauce adds lots of flavor. I use a low sodium soy sauce.
- Lime Juice: Including an acid, in this case lime juice, in the marinade helps to tenderize the meat and also adds flavor. Lemon juice will work equally well in this recipe if you need a substitute.
- Olive Oil: The oil helps to transfer flavor from the other marinade ingredients to the meat.
- Worcestershire Sauce: For flavor.
- Garlic: A generous amount of fresh garlic seasons the steak.
- Salt and Pepper: Flavor essentials.
You can also add dried herbs or chopped fresh herbs to this basic recipe. Italian seasoning, dried oregano, thyme and parsley are all good options.
What Cuts of Steak are Best for Marinating
This marinade works well with almost any cut of steak. I used ribeye steaks in these photos. Other good candidates include sirloin steaks, New York strip steaks, skirt steak and flank steak. It makes the best beef kabobs, as the marinade can penetrate more surface area with bite-size pieces of meat.
How to Marinate Steak
Once you have all of your marinade ingredients mixed together, you’ll add the steak to the bag or bowl with the marinade. Make sure that all of the meat is coated in the marinade for maximum flavor. Place the steak and marinade in the refrigerator while the marinade works its magic!
How Long to Marinate Steak
I recommend marinating for at least 2 hours and up to 12 hours. You don’t want to leave the meat in the marinade for too long or the acidic ingredients can start to break down the meat too much, making the outsides mushy. Tougher cuts of steak will benefit from a longer marinating time.
How to Cook Steak
Two secrets to success when cooking steak are:
- Before cooking, let steaks come to room temperature for about 30 minutes.
- After cooking, let the meat rest for 5-10 minutes before slicing or serving.
This marinade makes the best grilled steaks. Grill steaks over high heat for a few minutes to sear the outsides, then reduce the heat to medium and continue cooking until steak reaches your desired level of doneness.
Steaks may also be cooked in the oven or try Air Fryer Steak. To cook steak in the oven, start by searing the steak in a cast iron skillet on the stove. Meanwhile, preheat the broiler with the top rack about 6 inches away from the broiler. Then place the skillet with the steak in the oven under the broiler until cooked to your desired doneness.
How to Tell When Steak is Done
The USDA recommends that steak be cooked to at least 145° F for food safety. An instant read thermometer is the best way to tell if your steak is done. Remove steaks from the heat when they register a few degrees lower than your desired level of doneness. The internal temperature will continue to rise as the steak rests.
- Medium-Rare: 135° F
- Medium: 145° F
- Medium-Well: 150° F
- Well Done: 160° F
Best Steak Marinade
Ingredients
- 6 tablespoons low sodium soy sauce
- ¼ cup lime juice, or lemon juice
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
- 6 cloves garlic, minced
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 2 pounds ribeye steaks, or sirloin, New York strip, skirt steak or flank steak
Instructions
- Combine all marinade ingredients in a zip-top plastic bag or bowl. Whisk or squish the bag to mix. (Optional: reserve a few tablespoons of the marinade to brush on the steak while cooking.)
- Add the steak to the bowl or bag and coat with the marinade. Cover the bowl or seal the bag and marinate in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours and up to 12 hours.
- Let steak come to room temperature for 30 minutes before cooking. Discard marinade and cook steak on the grill, in the oven or on the stove, as desired, to desired doneness*.
- To cook on grill: Grill steaks over high heat for a few minutes to sear the outsides, then reduce the heat to medium and continue cooking until steak reaches your desired level of doneness. Remove steak from the heat when it is 3-5° F below your desired doneness, because the internal temperature will continue to rise while the steak rests.
- Steaks may also be cooked in the oven. First, sear the steak in a cast iron skillet on the stove. Then place in the oven under the broiler until cooked to your desired doneness.
- Let steak rest for 5-10 minutes before slicing or serving.
Notes
- The USDA recommends cooking steak to at least 145° F for food safety, which is medium doneness. Cook to 150° F for medium-well or 160° F for well done.
- Nutrition estimate assumes all marinade will be consumed, which is unlikely.
